


An Ambassador in Space

by LadyBrooke



Category: Original Work
Genre: Developing Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-24
Updated: 2017-06-24
Packaged: 2018-11-18 06:21:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11285472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyBrooke/pseuds/LadyBrooke
Summary: I was not the original Ambassador to this planet, merely the only one who had not quit at being assigned here.





	An Ambassador in Space

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sweetcarolanne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetcarolanne/gifts).



“I will admit to being curious as to why you were the one sent to our planet,” their ruler said, before she took a sip of her water and looked at me. “My apologies, but you don’t seem to be quite prepared for this job.”

That was more than true.

Initially, I was supposed to just be an advisor, instructing the official ambassador in the cultures of this planet after studying the available information. However, the initial ambassador had quit after being informed he was being sent to a planet filled with apes, no matter how intelligent they are.  

She must have noticed my reluctance to answer, because she laughed. “I suppose you don’t wish to tell me. Still, we were sent information on your qualifications. You studied wild apes on your planet, did you not?”

“I did. I specialized in cooperation among non-relatives among the lesser wild apes.” I paused to take a breath. “Is that a problem?”

“If you had come here and assumed that we would be exactly the same as your wild apes, yes.” She lifted her head to look at me. I felt small next to her, in spite of being a foot taller. She was regal in a way that few people I had ever met were. “But you did not, so I see no more reason to be insulted than a human on your planet would be because you studied apes. After all, we simply diverged in a different path than you did. We kept our fur, you lost yours, we took longer to develop vocal cords, you lost your ability to easily find shelter in trees without falling out. Things are what they are.”

I smiled. “Many would not see it that way on my planet. Many would consider it an insult to be named in the same breath as them or to consider any relation to them.”

“Well, we may be more progressive about certain things than you all.” She smiled back after speaking, mouth closed. “But enough of that. Unless you really wish to continue discussing this subject, I thought we could instead have a discussion about the different groups that live on this planet. I believe that would be more to your interests.”

“It would be, though it is not necessary to indulge my interests if you have other work to be doing.”

I was not really suited for this job. All I could think about during our conversation was the notes I could be making on points of divergence and the similarities that occurred between wild apes and these, along with their similarities to us.

She threw back her head and laughed. “It is less work than you are thinking of. We do not have the same problems your rulers have. For the most part, they rule themselves. I merely step in when there is a problem they cannot deal with on their own.” She licked her lips. “It would be interesting to have a conversation with someone who does not already know everything about us, and who could tell me more about life on another planet.”

I smiled again. Perhaps she liked me as much as I liked her, or perhaps she merely wanted more information. Either way, I wanted to spend more time talking to her about everything, both related to my studies and about her personally. “That would be interesting to me, yes.”

“Then perhaps we should begin with clothing. I noted on our way in that you appeared surprised at the way some of my advisors were dressed, or rather, were not dressed. While there are trends among different groups in what is worn, it is generally left up to the individual what they wish to. Some of them are from the highland forests and generally prefer to not wear any clothes, while others have developed their own styles or have adopted those of visitors from other planets. I’m sure by the time you leave, some will have taken designs from your clothing and incorporated it into their own.”

She continued to talk as I jotted down notes, occasionally interrupting to ask a question. When we reached a discussion about food distribution, I interrupted with a personal question.

“My apologies if it is inappropriate for our positions, but would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

She looked up from where she had pulled out a map to show me. “Would I be right to assume that you want more from this dinner than to just continue our current discussion?”

I nodded.

“You intrigue me,” she said. “Yes. I will have dinner with you, and we will see where this goes from here. For now, I suppose we should finish our discussion of this so we can both be ready for dinner and whatever comes after.”

I blushed, before rushing to take down notes again. At least I would never be bored here, even if I might spend my life trying not to blush.

                                                                                                                                                  


End file.
